I read the details of the actual affidavit, which was part of the surveillance of the individuals involved. 90% of it was the tracking of financial transactions of the owners. I believe the feds got involved because they owned businesses in 2 or more states. I have a feeling if it was brought to the local LE attention, renting a room and buying food for an apartment would of been something that they would not of really cared about.
No girls confessed to being forced to do anything or that they didn't get to keep their fair share of the money. They rented rooms. They made great money. The men/John's didn't admit to doing anything. The investigator claimed to "Interview" 20 men/Johns. NOTE: no suggestion that any of them confessed or offered any information.
I have yet to figure out how, a lady can say she is a trafficking victim when she is actively seeking work and is charging $300+/hr and making 5 figures a month in cash. What is she going to do? Complain that her $6,000 hand bag is 6 months too old and it doesn't match her new shoes and she is a victim of trafficking herself by herself? The media/politicians will paint these women all as 15 year old girls that were kidnapped in their sleeps and are chained to the walls by their captors. I have been on these kinds of boards for over 20 years, and am yet to ever see any post that hints at this kind of abuse. I do stay away from street level because too many of those women are slaves to their addictions.
The affidavit had a final 2 recommendations or possible grounds for charges, were mainly for fraud due to the Covid funds of $500,000+. Also a recommended charge for trafficking in order to force or push these ladies into prostitution. Considering these were high end operations, I am not sure how in the world they are going to get that to stick or to build a case for the 2nd charge? Prostitution is a local charge that the local LE agencies would handle.
If you want to read the entire, affidavit, the reality seems to be, a partner of the people running this operation got mad at the other partners and went to LE to rat out the partners who they felt screwed them over. Someone had receipts and kept track of the details. When the Covid funds were mentioned, that was enough to trip an investigation.